The Long Night
by rhosinthorn
Summary: "He'd stand with his Fairy Tail nakama without a doubt, but what he was standing for was her." Gajeel's thoughts on the eve of battle. Heavy manga spoilers for 452/453.


**The Long Night**

Gajeel stared up at the ceiling. In all his years as a mage, even in the year he had served as Captain of the Custody Enforcement Unit, there had never been a night where he found himself unable to sleep before a battle. Hell, the night before Fairy Tail and Phantom Lord had clashed, he had slept like a child, dreaming peacefully about how he would crush Salamander with ease. But tonight, tonight of all nights he couldn't seem to sleep.

Levy had no issue with sleep. The little bluenette had showed up on his doorstep and let herself in, showing no hesitation in burrowing under the covers of his bed. Gajeel let her. She was the only one who he would let walk all over him like that, because he knew that he could never stop her. And most of all, he knew that she was afraid.

They were all afraid. It was unfortunately becoming an occupational hazard for members of the Fairy Tail guild. But Gajeel knew Levy, knew that the bluenette didn't flinch at danger; instead she stood and faced it head on. For her to come crawling into his bed…she was _afraid_.

He had done it to her. In the brutal aftermath of Tartarus, the loss of Metallicana a gaping wound in his chest, he had found it hard to sleep. Levy had coaxed and threatened him into sharing a bed with her, holding him all night long, even when he shook with grief and anger and fear, even when he growled and sounded for all intents and purposes like his father. She was there through it all, through the heartbreak and the stupid plots that would get him nowhere but buried six feet under.

She was there when he started to rebuild his life again, like a fledgling not sure if he could stand. Going to the Magic Council had been his decision, but she had followed, saying that she could do more good there than if she followed her idiot partners wherever the fools ended up. The bluenette somehow knew how to balance being there to support him with letting him keep his pride and independence. He appreciated that from her.

At the Magic Council, it was her sneaking into his bed. When his door opened and he saw her silhouette, he could tell that it was another nightmare about Tartarus, or worries about the dark guild they'd leave to take down the next day. So he'd shift over to make room, lift the covers, and feel her body warm as she curled against his side, feel her shaking stop.

It always felt a bit ironic to him that it was _his_ bed that Levy came to when she was troubled. After all the trouble that he had given her, the scars that he could see even now, she came to _him_. But they were never conventional. Sometime between Phantom Lord and Tartarus they had changed, become whatever they were now. Labels never bothered him much. You were either an enemy of a friend. Levy was certainly a friend, but somehow he found himself wanting to find a better word to describe her.

He had never needed people. Even before his solitary life with Metallicana, he had never needed people. They were hateful, annoying, and never trustworthy. Metallicana's departure had only reinforced his beliefs. He didn't need anyone. Phantom was just a place to find work, and when it was gone, he would just go somewhere else.

But Makarov had showed up, defying everything Gajeel believed about people when he offered him a place in Fairy Tail. Wondering just how crazy the old man could be, the iron dragon slayer had accepted.

People were just like he had known, even Faeries. That had been his first impression. Laxus's responses to him were comforting because they were familiar. What wasn't familiar was the bluenette hiding behind the tree as her teammates beat him up. How she looked unsure as he took hit after hit. How she screamed for Laxus to stop and almost got herself killed for interfering. Why he had jumped in front of the bolt was beyond him. Even now he just remembered instinct driving him onwards. Maybe it was because she said something, the first human to ever watch him being beat to pieces and _say_ something. He kept an eye on her after that, wondering what else she would do.

Being stuck with Salamander in the guild hall had been annoying. The guy's incessant whining had grated on his ears. But the shrimp had been there, all business, working through the runes that trapped them there like they were nothing more than a little puzzle to her. She had definitely earned his respect that day, as she released them, and then later as she braved the lightning at the cathedral to warn Laxus that his grandfather might be dying. Without hesitation she had helped him back to the guild, delivering him to the harsh but well versed hands of Porlyusica.

Her unwavering acceptance of him was why he had volunteered himself as her partner. Well, if he was honest with himself, his drive to compete with Salamander was why he was open to being partners in the first place, but it was her that he wanted to partner with out of all of the candidates.

In the final moments on Tenrou, he found himself glad to be standing beside her. As Acnologia prepared to blow them away, he felt a strange sense of peace. Fairy Tail was standing with him, and Levy's small hand was within his own rough one. It wasn't a bad way to die, if it came to that. He had at least tried to protect something, _someone_ with his life. Belno had harped on him enough about it. She might think that he was at least somewhat redeemable if this was how it ended.

Gajeel was under no illusions. Of every member in Fairy Tail, he was by far the worst. He was rude, arrogant, and there was an insatiable lust for battle and blood lurking under his skin. Jose had capitalized on that lust, using it to his advantage. Makarov had given it direction, made it constructive and minimized the evil he did with it. But it always lingered, in the excited beating of his heart as an opponent drew near, the scent of blood in the air as the fight ended. He was no saint, and was certainly a sinner.

 _It's not a sin to fall in love_. His words to Mavis echoed in his head. Because that was what he had done. His one redeeming act. The little bluenette had saved him, given him the purpose that Belno had pushed him to find. All his life he had bounced from place to place, not caring about anyone because he had learned the hard way that nobody cared about him. But Levy had barged into his life just like he had barged into hers, and now he knew without a doubt that he would do his best to put himself between her and danger. He'd stand with his Fairy Tail nakama without a doubt, but what he was standing for was _her_.

She shifted slightly in her sleep, and Gajeel couldn't help but smile softly as he tucked the blanket around her. It was something that he only showed around her. The smile faded as he remembered _why_ she was there.

 _There's going to be a fight tomorrow_ , his subconscious whispered. _You almost lost her last time. What if you can't be there this time?_

"I'm gonna be by her side." Gajeel growled to the ceiling. "Just like I told her on Tenrou. We'll get through this, no matter what."

 _Even Mavis is frightened of this enemy. This isn't just another dark guild, this is Zeref. What makes you think that a mere dragon slayer can stand against him?_

"Just because we're frightened doesn't mean that we'll lose," he muttered to thin air. "We don't need to know anything except we'll be fighting to protect what we hold most dear. I've seen us become stronger just because we're fighting for each other. We're ready for them this time."

 _You knew Tartarus was coming for the council members and you still couldn't stop them. Belno died because you were too late._

"I know my sins," he whispered into the night air. "I have never pretended to be more than I am. This time though, I _will_ stop them. And when this is all over, I'm going to put a name to what we are."

His answer seemed to answer the voice inside him, and he lay in silence for an immeasurable amount of time before he heard them. _They're here._

Beside him Levy was stirring, and he knew that in a moment he'd have to rise and ready himself for the longest fight of his life. But for the last moment he had, he let himself dream very briefly of a different world, where he wasn't as harsh and they weren't being summoned to war. And as the shouts began in the quiet streets he rose and dressed himself, hearing Levy do the same behind him.

Together they went out into the night, knowing very well that it may be their last together.

 *****Okay guys. This is based on chapter 453 of the manga. Some of you may have noticed that it appears Levy and Gajeel were together when the fleet arrived. So I wrote this little thing about why they were together, why Gajeel was awake...just for fun. It's completely unconnected to any of my other stories.*****


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